Crape Myrtle Shohin Progression

VAFisher

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I originally collected this is a volunteer seedling growing in the gravel driveway of my wife's old house in 2013 or 2014 along with the one that would eventually become my mame crape myrtle. The earliest pic I have is this one from 2015 when it was a sling shot.

2015.jpeg
 

VAFisher

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Thankfully, I removed one of the leaders in 2016. But I made a mistake in not putting enough movement in the one I kept.

20162.jpeg

I decided this would be the front.

20163.jpeg
 

p_anova

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I repotted the tree this spring and it was definitely packed into that pot. The base is continuing to get better and better. I will probably spend some time wiring the tree this fall.

View attachment 440832
Awesome progression. The tree looks great and I love the trunk. I have a small one in training that looks like your tree in 2016. Every year I think it is dead because they are so late to leaf but poof it comes back like magic. Hopefully mine will look like yours in 5 to 6 years!
 

VAFisher

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Awesome progression. The tree looks great and I love the trunk. I have a small one in training that looks like your tree in 2016. Every year I think it is dead because they are so late to leaf but poof it comes back like magic. Hopefully mine will look like yours in 5 to 6 years!

I love working with crapes. They are very forgiving of mistakes and can take a beating. I've chopped them and drastically worked roots in the middle of summer and they don't mind at all. Sometimes they do come out late in the spring and that can be nerve racking for sure.
 

VAFisher

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@VAFisher You are the crape myrtle master! These progressions are very nice.
Thanks but I'm definitely no master. I think if you can manage to keep a tree alive for 7 or 8 years you'll have improved it a lot no matter what you do (within reason). Time does good things for a bonsai.
 

Wulfskaar

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Thanks but I'm definitely no master. I think if you can manage to keep a tree alive for 7 or 8 years you'll have improved it a lot no matter what you do (within reason). Time does good things for a bonsai.
Ok, but these 3 crape myrtle progressions are quite graceful. No heavy-handedness with very elegant results.

I really need to get a larger one. I've tried growing from seeds 2 years in a row. One made it to about 6" and died. None of the others even made it out of the soil.
 

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Ok, but these 3 crape myrtle progressions are quite graceful. No heavy-handedness with very elegant results.

I really need to get a larger one. I've tried growing from seeds 2 years in a row. One made it to about 6" and died. None of the others even made it out of the soil.
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it.

I would buy a larger one from a nursery. Sometimes they have sales around here later in the summer for ones that don't sell and you can pick up a 2 inch trunk for about $10. Then get ruthless with the roots and chop it back. Odds are it won't skip a beat. And if it does, you're only out $10.
 

p_anova

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Fall color is a nice burgundy this year.

View attachment 459353
Beautiful, nuff said. Do you think you can post another picture after the leaves drop? I would love to see the structure on it! I think my little "crap" myrtle got too much sun and all the leaves fell off. No fall show for me unfortunately.
 

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Beautiful, nuff said. Do you think you can post another picture after the leaves drop? I would love to see the structure on it! I think my little "crap" myrtle got too much sun and all the leaves fell off. No fall show for me unfortunately.
Thanks. Will do.
 
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